Police prepare sketches of robbers who drugged woman

With few leads in the case, the police on Thursday prepared the sketches of the men who allegedly drugged and robbed 33-year-old Niki Shah of jewellery worth 2.74 lakh on Wednesday afternoon.

The police have also prepared the sketch of the driver of the taxi she was travelling in. They are now scanning the CCTV camera footage to get more clues.

In her complaint, Shah, a resident of Charni Road, said she had hired a cab from Kalbadevi after collecting her jewellery from the bank. She was talking to her husband on the phone when two men forcefully entered the taxi at Metro junction, and pressed a handkerchief with chloroform against her nose.

According to the police, Shah started to feel dizzy, but did not lose complete consciousness. Hence, she could understand the location where she was being taken. However, she could not see the taxi’s registration number.

AM Sonavane, senior inspector, LT Marg police said station, “We have recorded Shah’s statement and have prepared the sketches. We have got CCTV camera footages and are scanning through them for further clarity. ”

The duo allegedly forced the driver to continue driving without raising alarm and took her to Matunga’s Napu Garden area via Dadar’s Chitra theatre.

“They threw Shah out of the taxi and fled from the spot. Shah was weeping when a mobile van of Matunga police spotted her. She registered an FIR with them, which was later transferred to us,” Sonavane said, adding that the driver had also been booked and they were probing if he had kept a watch on the woman and tipped off the two accused.

In her statement, Shah told police that the driver was wearing a white shirt, similar to uniform worn by the owners of the vehicle. She said one of the accused was about 6ft tall and both them were in their late 20s.

The police said Shah was taken for a medical test at Sion Hospital, which would help them ascertain the drug used to render her unconscious.